Captain Marvel Will Be the Key to Defeating Thanos

If you haven't heard yet, Captain Marvel [10] is joining the MCU, and she's a pretty big damn deal. We'll see her tale come to life in the movie right before Avengers: Endgame, and the postcredits scene [11] in Infinity War tells us that she'll be vitally important in defeating Thanos.

We actually have a theory about how she can use her Cosmic Awareness [12] to restore reality to a point before Thanos got control of the Infinity Gauntlet [13]. This would mean that all the Avengers who were "killed" [14] can come back and join together to defeat Thanos. For real this time, without someone getting distracted [15] and letting him go.

The Time Stone Brings Back Everyone Who Died

This one might be a little hard to work out since Doctor Strange is one of the people who bites it at the end of Infinity War, but just roll with it. In case you haven't seen Doctor Strange, in the end of the film, the Sorcerer Supreme is able to use the Time Stone (known as the Eye of Agamotto in the film) to reverse time and bring Wong back to life [16]. Obviously Doctor Strange won't be using the Time Stone since he's been turned to dust (RIP), but there is another Master of the Mystic Arts who could potentially wield the object — Wong himself! As far as we know, he isn't taken [17] by Thanos's fatal snap, so if the remaining Avengers are able to retrieve the Time Stone from the Infinity Gauntlet, Wong could reverse time and bring the fallen heroes back to life. This does mean that Wong would have to bend the rules of the mystic arts, but this should totally count as a special circumstance.

Gamora Will Be Rescued From the Soul Stone

As we know, Gamora is Thanos's sacrifice to gain the Soul Stone [18]. In the comics, the Infinity Stone's power is over life and death, and it works by capturing a person's essence and storing it in the Soul World, a plane that exists in the stone itself. The owner of the Soul Stone [19] is also able to release any souls captured within it and enter the Soul World at will. If the MCU follows the comics, that explains the dream-like scene at the end of Infinity War when Thanos speaks to a younger version of Gamora after he's wiped out half the universe's existence [20]. This also means that Gamora's soul is still around and thus can be rescued!

Despite the fact that Thanos sees Gamora as his loved one, we don't see him letting her soul out of the stone anytime soon. The best bets for this happening are either someone else's soul being exchanged for her freedom or the destruction of the stone entirely. We're betting the Russo brothers go with the more emotionally tragic option and someone else will die before we get Gamora's soul out of the stone.

Loki Will Be Revived

Loki's death is one of the more shocking deaths in Infinity War since it happens pretty much right away, and fans are still not over it, to be quite freakin' honest [21]. But is Loki really dead? This is the God of Mischief we're talking about here! He's technically "come back from the dead" twice now, so there's no reason he won't do it a third time (other than that crushed windpipe, of course) (Too soon?). We know, Thanos specifically said, "No resurrections this time," too, but what does Thanos know anyway? This is Loki Odinson, Prince of Asgard and Rightful Ruler of Jotunheim. Never count him out.

In fact, a Reddit theory [22] by user l571b854 proposes that he might even be manipulating Thanos into collecting all the Infinity Stones so he can then steal the gauntlet for himself and wield its power. Whether that theory proves right or wrong, we're still fairly sure the Trickster God will be showing up in Avengers 4, one way or another.

The Snap Sends the Dead to a Parallel Universe

A Reddit theory by user accountfornerdstuff puts the permanency of Thanos's snap [23] into question. The theory is that rather than snapping half of the universe out of existence, he snaps them to a parallel universe. The MCU has touched on alternate universes in Doctor Strange, and in Ant-Man, we visit the Quantum Realm where time and space become irrelevant. Reddit user Accountfornerdstuff theorizes that Ant-Man and the Wasp [24] will discover doorways to alternate universes in the Quantum Realm and lead the remaining Avengers to a universe where either Loki's attack on New York hasn't happened or is happening, allowing them to grab the Space and Mind Stones. They can use their knowledge to find the other Infinity Stones, create their own gauntlet, and take on Thanos. Check out the full theory here [25]!

Shuri Will Bring a Version of Vision Back

In the heat of battle in Wakanda during Infinity War, we see Shuri hard at work remapping the neural links between Vision and the Mind Stone. We know she's interrupted before she can fully finish the job [26], but this is Shuri, Princess of Wakanda and the leader of the Wakandan Design Group; she's a genius — she knows how to save her work. Even though she gets attacked before the process can be completed, we have a feeling she'll enable Vision to be active again by using a saved map of his neural network, which would allow her to re-create his artificial intelligence. Obviously without the Mind Stone, he won't be the same Vision. But he'll still be back and that's better than being . . . dead.

The Avengers Who "Died" Are in the Soul Stone With Gamora

Reddit user CryptidLizard [27] brings us a theory that posits Gamora has saved the "dusted" Avengers and taken them to the Soul World where she also resides. As we know, the comic version of the Soul Stone allows souls to exist within it. Though we don't see anyone else when Thanos visits Young Gamora at the end of Infinity War, that doesn't mean there aren't others there too (possibly hidden, or on the way). The theory continues that their souls are trapped in the Soul World with Gamora's, and their release will be at the hands of Adam Warlock [28] and Captain Marvel. James Gunn has previously stated that Adam will not appear in Infinity War, but will be a major key in the cosmic universe. Adam is known for being one of Thanos's greatest enemies since he too can harness the power of the Infinity Stones. Seems like Avengers: Endgame will be the perfect entrance for him. Read the theory in full here! [29]

Tony Stark/Iron Man Will Sacrifice Himself

We all had our assumptions that Tony would die in Infinity War. And we were wrong! But that doesn't mean he'll make it out of Avengers: Endgame alive. Doctor Strange surrenders the Time Stone in exchange for Tony's safety after seeing all the ways they can lose to Thanos, which means that Tony's survival, at that point, is key in Thanos's defeat. There are several reasons and ways that Tony could end up dying, but the most realistic is that Tony will sacrifice his life for his teammates or the entire half of the universe that was wiped away. Tony's death would have the most impact as he is the first Avenger we met, he's very likely expecting a child with Pepper soon, and he is the one person who's gone through the most in the MCU development-wise. Infinity War shows a Tony determined to enjoy his life, only for his friends to get ripped away. We can already imagine falling to pieces again [30] in a scene similar to Peter's death [31], but in reverse.

Steve Rogers/Captain America Will ALSO Sacrifice Himself

The death of Captain America is another one we called prematurely, but since we know Avengers: Endgame will be Chris Evans's last movie [32], it's not a stretch to imagine that he'll be going out on a big note. We all know how much of a stickler for the greater good Steve is; it's more than likely he'll die sacrificing himself for his teammates and the universe.

But does that mean Captain America will be gone for good? It doesn't have to be! In the comics, the shield has gone around multiple times, but most notably it's been passed on to James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes and Sam Wilson. While both are ready and present in the MCU, we don't really see Bucky taking up the alter-ego just yet. He's still recovering from the effects of that brainwashing incident and seems more at home in Wakanda than he would be putting on the Captain America suit. Sam seems a more likely fit to assume the helm in the wake of Steve's death.

Thor Will Rebuild Asgard and Rule as King

We didn't forget about you, Asgard! The realm of the gods is destroyed when Thor and Loki set off Ragnarok to defeat their big baddie of an older sister, Hela [33], in Thor: Ragnarok, but they manage to rescue a shipload of Asgardians before it goes down. Of course, they're then attacked by Thanos and his children on his quest for the Space Stone [34] in the first scene of Infinity War and suffer countless casualties.

Though it looks like Thanos decimates the entire spaceship of people, remember that he only kills half of the population [35] wherever he goes, and Thor tells the Guardians that half of his people were killed. We have to assume that the other half got away on escape pods, probably led by the missing Valkyrie [36], and are on their way to Earth like previously planned. Once the whole Thanos business is taken care of, and depending on how that happens, of course, Thor will rebuild his realm either on Earth or their restored planet and rule as their King.